Event marks special achievement in National Guard's career

Fairfax, Virginia - The National Firearms Museum played host last week to a very special event. After almost twenty-five years of service, first with the United States and then with the National Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Guy Gormley received promotion to the rank of Colonel. And what better place for an NRA Life Member to hold such a ceremony then inside the Robert E. Petersen Gallery at the NRA National Firearms Museum.

Filled to the rim, Gormley was accompanied by his parents, wife Sara, daughter Katherine and son Guy … not to mention the crowd of co-workers and friends he picked up along the way. Overseeing the ceremony was Colonel James P. Bagely.

"I met Guy while we were both at Virginia Military Academy," said Bagely. "He made an impression upon me then and still does to this day."

Gormley has also been friends with Museum Senior Curator Phil Schreier for a few decades. As fate would have it, he mentioned Phil as the ceremony came to an end."

"As I was leaving for Afghanistan, I discovered that Phil was going to be Bagram. We hadn't seen each other for a couple of years and now we were going to be in the Middle East together. So I flew 14 hours, checked in with my commanding officer, and drove an hour by jeep to meet him in Bagram. It was then that he said I was entered in a 5K Memorial race to honor two fallen soldiers of Task Force Warrior in Bagram. Just what you want to hear after flying half way across the world."

Posting a decent time in the race, Gormley and Schreier took some time to catch up before Phil returned to his War Correspondent duties and Gormley to his post. As a souvenir, Schreier donated the NRA banner to Gormley's base.

"Phil said I should put it on display for the troops," said Gormley. "Now, after it's time in battle, I'd like to return the banner to Phil and the National Firearms Museum as a thanks for allowing us to hold my promotion ceremony here today."